There are a number of applications for a reeling machine used in connection with a device which is suspended or lowered at the end of a cable from a platform such as a ship or a helicopter. In the case of a device suspended from a helicopter, it may become important that the angle of the cable as it leaves the reeling mechanism be sensed and used as an input to the helicopter controls to keep the helicopter hovering over the suspended device. Cable angle sensors have been used in the form of rollers held in contact with the cable. This operates reasonably satisfactorily, but does increase wear on the cable. Also, the payout sheave itself has, in the past, been built to rotate in only one plane, and since it is used in conjunction with a level wind mechanism on or associated with the reel, the angle of contact of the cable with the sheave as it leaves the level wind mechanism may vary such as to cause substantial additional wear on the cable. In recent applications for such reeling machines, the reeling speeds and the length of cable reeled have been increased such that the wear and scuffing problem resulting from nonalignment of the cable with the sheave has become quite severe.